80. Feedback Conversations with Leisa Molloy

Have you received feedback from a leader that was vague, wishy-washy, or perhaps really harsh? Were you upset, confused, or hurt by what they told you? There are good and bad ways to deliver feedback to team members or employees.

My guest today is Leisa Molloy, a workplace psychologist, consultant, coach, and founder of Flourishing Minds Consulting. Flourishing Minds is a boutique organizational psychology consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations, leaders, and teams to build stronger levels of leadership capability, alignment, trust, clarity, and psychological safety.

Leisa has spent more than 17 years helping leaders navigate important workplace conversations. In this episode, we speak about the three different types of feedback, what a good and bad feedback conversation looks like, how to prepare for a feedback conversation, and the very real risks of providing vague or ineffective feedback. Leisa also shares a step-by-step process that will help you immensely the next time you’re required to give feedback to one of your team members.

Discussion Points

The worst kind of feedback is that which is never given!
Poor/ineffective feedback is vague, wishy-washy, or uses generic cliches like “you should be more strategic”
Types of feedback:
- Appreciative
- Constructive/coaching
- Evaluative against deliverables/roles
How appreciative feedback can go wrong
Types of appreciative feedback:
- Meeting your goals
- Your good attitude
- Your great personal qualities
Where responsibility lies for providing feedback
The intent vs. the impact of feedback
Conflict debt– issues not addressed build tension, impact teams
Setting precedent right away with new hires/team members
Asking open-ended questions - should be “what” and “how” not “why”
Taking the heat out of feedback sessions– give options, come back tomorrow, sit with it
What happens next after feedback?
Communicating feedback over digital platforms is not advised
How to pass on “third-party” feedback to an employee
Definition of “team” vs. “individual contributors”
An example of a feedback session that went poorly for Leisa
Who has had the greatest impact on you with feedback?
My key takeaways:
- Leaders create a feedback culture
- Leaders prepare for feedback conversations
- Leaders are clear on what success looks like
Contact me with questions or comments